Who Changes Our Literature and Why?
Like many Al‑Anon members, I have often joked that while I am asleep, elves visit my bookshelf and change the wording in my Al‑Anon literature. Pages I am sure I never read before suddenly appear in my careworn
“Together We Can Make It!”
I have been part of Alateen for five years, and I am extremely grateful for that. I have met tons of amazing people who are going through the exact same things I am, and together we get through
Why I “Keep Coming Back”
I believed that my alcoholic husband was physically sick, so I took him to doctors. I couldn’t believe it when the doctor said, “He’s drunk.” I had denied what I’d seen, smelled, and heard—opening cans and vanishing bottles—and
I Get Better with Every Meeting
What am I doing here? I thought. I didn’t want to be here. I wondered how Al‑Anon was going to help me with what I was facing at home. These people didn’t even know me, or so I
The “This, That, and the Other” of Group Business
Growing up in the family disease of alcoholism often gives family members a false sense of being in charge. I brought this attitude with me everywhere I went, including Al‑Anon. My rigid thinking told me that certain things
Even Though My Husband Still Drinks
Like so many before me, I came to Al‑Anon in a desperate state. I needed help without even knowing it. My husband was in the hospital for the second time in a year with pancreatitis from drinking. I
My Journey to Self-Worth
I have had low self-esteem for a long time. My alcoholic ex-husband constantly put me down, abused me, told me I was not good enough, and demeaned me. Why did I allow it? I guess I thought I
Now Back to Me
When I went to my first Al‑Anon meeting, I was worried that I didn’t belong. However, I was reassured that the only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or a
The Forum’s Unsung Heroes: The FEAC
Readers of The Forum often ask how the decision to publish an article is made and by whom. And, while there are a number of people who work to produce the magazine every month, one of the most
Welcoming Change—AFA 2019
I like consistency in my life. I don’t like surprises, such as when a favorite store of mine closes or when a nice neighbor moves away. However, my Al‑Anon recovery helps me to recognize that change brings new
Right Where I Belong
The first Al‑Anon meeting I attended was not for me—or so I thought. I was accompanying a friend who was looking for answers about her alcoholic loved one. I was immediately welcomed by the women and men there,
No Longer in Anger
Truth was hard to come by in my family. Growing up with a disabled and moody dad with chronic pain and lots of health problems was not the easiest experience for a young kid. What made it worse